Family Court
Family Court Administrator: (502) 595-4392
Family Court Clerk's Office: (502) 595-3025
Kentucky Family Court Division (Jefferson County)
The County Attorney's Office has been a partner in Jefferson County Family Court since it began as a pilot program in 1991. In November 2002, Kentucky voters made it a permanent court. It was the first of its type in Kentucky to focus solely on the needs of families and children. One judge to provide continuity by hearing all of a family's legal problems and issues.
Assistant Jefferson County Attorneys represent the legal interests and rights of children appearing in Family Court, primarily in cases of abuse and neglect, and prosecutes out-of-control petitions and truancy for status offenders.
Legal Definitions
Abused or Neglected Child
a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervion of the child:
a) Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physicial or emotional injury by other than accidental means;
b) Creates or allows to be created a risk of physical or emotional injury by other than accidental means;
c) Engages in a pattern of conduct that renders the parent incapable of caring for the immediate and ongoing needs of the child including, but not limited to, parental incapacity due to alcohol and other drug abuse
d) Continuously or repeatedly fails or refuses to provide essentail parental care and protection for the child, considering the age of the child;
e) Commits or allows to be committed an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution upon the child;
f) Creates or allows to be created a risk that an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution will be committed upon the child'
g) Abandons or exploits the child; or
h) Does not provide the child with adequate care, supervision, food, clothing, shelter, and education or medical care necessary for the child's well-being. A parent or other person exercising custorial control or supervision of the child legitimately practicing the person's religious beliefs shall not be considered a negligent parent soley because of failure to provide specified medical treatment for a child for that reason alone. This exception shall not preclude a court from ordering necessary medical services for a child; or
i) Fails to make sufficient progress toward identified goals as set forth in the court-approved case plan to allow for the safe return of the child to the parent that results in the child remaining committed to the cabinet and remaining in foster care for fifteen (15) of the most recent twenty-two (22) months;
Beyond the Control of Parents
Beyond the control of parents means a child who has repeatedly failed to follow the reasonable directives of his or her parents, legal guardian, or person exercising custodial control or supervision other than a state agency, which behavior results in danger to the child or others, and which behavior does not constitute behavior that would warrant the filing of a petition under KRS Chapter 645.
Family Court Support Agencies
Area Code 502
Center for Women & Families 581-7222
Judicial Center Sat. Office 568-6517
Cabinet for Health & Family
Services Hotline 595-4550
CASA 595-4911
Child Advocacy Center 595-4550
www.famchild.org
Court Designated Worker 595-0036
Court Monitoring Center 574-8759
Domestic Violence Intake Ctr. 595-0853
Exchange Ctr. - Hall of Justice 574-0044
Family Place Visitation Ctr. 636-2801
County Attorney's Child Support
Main Office 574-8300
Jefferson County Public Schools
Debbie Montgomery 574-8070
Bob Morehead 574-0126
Jefferson County Foster Care
Review Board
Amy Smith 595-3498
Jefferson County Jail 574-8477
Legal Aid Society 585-6980
Louisville Bar Association 583-5314
Master Commissioner 574-5934
